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Press releases, Paris, France, 15/03/2001
 Change in the corporate name and modification of the Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux articles of association
The Supervisory Board chaired by Jean Gandois gave hommage to its Vice-Chairman Pierre Faure recently deceased on February and he appointed Albert Frère as Vice Chairman. The Supervisory Board approved the two resolutions to be presented at the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on May 4, 2001.
Change in the corporate name
It will be proposed to the General Meeting to take on the name "Suez" as corporate name of the company. Suez will also immediately become the main brand used by the company as well as the common identity for the Group.
Modification of the Articles of Association
It will be proposed to the General Meeting of the Shareholders to modify the company's, changing from the current Executive Board and Supervisory Board structure to a Board of Directors and Chairman & CEO structure.
Fifteen Board members will be presented to the General Meeting for election. Three of them, Gérard Mestrallet, Philippe Brongniart and François Jaclot are currently members of the Executive Board and will carry out executive functions in the new organization.
Ten of them, Gerhard Cromme, Etienne Davignon, Paul Desmarais Jr, Lucien Douroux, Albert Frère, Jean Gandois, Jacques Lagarde, Anne Lauvergeon, Jean Peyrelevade and José Villarasau are currently members of the Supervisory Board.
Two new personalities will be presented to the General Meeting :
Félix Rohatyn, US Amabassador to France from 1997 to 2000, had a long career at Lazard Frères in New York and notably was a member of the Board of Governors of the New York Stock Exchange;
Lord David Simon of Highbury, BP Chief Executive and Chairman from 1995 to 1997, served as Minister of State, Secretary of State for Commerce and Competitivity in Europe in Tony Blair's cabinet from 1997 to 1999.
The future Board will comprise 15 members : of which, 2 Belgium, 1 British, 1 American, 1 German, 1 Spanish, 1 Canadian and 1 member with dual French-Canadian nationality.
The organization of Suez' General Management will be decided by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer once he is appointed.
After the Supervisory Board meeting, Jean Gandois stated : "I was glad and proud to be subsequently Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux Supervisory Board. The Executive Board and Supervisory Board structure was the best possible way to ensure the succes of the merger and manage the company during the period which has now come to an end. Since the objectives which had been fixed at the time of the merger have been reached or surpassed, it seems to me that, today, the Board of Directors and Chairman & CEO structure is better suited for the new phase that is opening up, where speed and reactivity are essential conditions for success. The company with its new name is entering a new phase of its existence holding all keys to success."
It will be proposed to Gérard Mestrallet to take over the office of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
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